Jettisonable ballast safety device



Nov. 13, 1962 R. w. BROWN 3,063,395 JETTISONABLE BALLAST SAFETY DEVICE Filed Oct. 25. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ROBINSON W. BROWN BY M M ATTORNEYS R. W. BROWN Nov. 13, 1962 JETTISONABLE BALLAST SAFETY DEVICE INVENTOR hm mm Filed Oct. 25. 1960 BY L W ATTORNEYS:

nited tates Filed Oct. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 64,805 8 Claims. (Cl. 11416.4)

This invention relates to safety devices for submarines or like undersea craft, and more particularly to such a device for quickly releasing or jettisoning ballast from a submerged submarine in the event of emergency and/or failure of the normal ascending gear to function, thereby causing the submarine to rapidly rise to the surface.

In undersea exploration and navigation, manned submersibles are often required to descend to extended depths, on the order of to thousand feet or more for the observation and assimilation of scientific and oceanographic data for study and analysis. The risks of malfunctioning or inoperative depth controls or ascending gear are always of prime concern in submarine craft and become of paramount importance at these extended depths. Accordingly, it is a chief object of my invention to provide a safety device of this character which is simple in construction, foolproof in operation, and thoroughly reliable in the event of the failure or malfunctioning of the usual normal depth control mechanism.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a solid ballast of elongated configuration which is supported in depending relation from the submarine by a pair of cables and wherein a simple and efiicient cable severing mechanism is associated with each cable.

' My invention further contemplates the provision of a cable severing mechanism having self-contained power means which is or may be remotely controlled, as from the main control panel within the submarine, to release or actuate the power means for severing the cable. As a corollary to this object, I further provide a safety locking means associated with each cable severing mechanism which may be readily positioned so that accidental or unintended actuation of the control means to release or trigger the power means will fail to sever the cable or cables supporting the ballast when jettisoning thereof is unnecessary or not desired, as when traveling surfaced or in tow. During or after descent to the desired depth level, the safety lock may be easily repositioned to arm or cock the cable severing mechanism, whereby operation of the control means will effect the severing of the ballast supporting cables and jettisoning of the ballast in an emergency situation. Thus the lock means or interlock may be positioned as desired to safety or armed position in respect to the cable severing mechanism, as conditions may dictate.

It is a further important object of my invention to provide a jettisonable ballast of the described character wherein the ballast is positioned with respect to the keel and to the cables attached thereto, so that should only one cable be severed, the moment effected by the resulting downward swinging of one end of the ballast will impose a load on the remaining unsevered cable which is greater than the tensile strength of the cable so as to quickly snap the same and release the dangerously dangling ballast member and thereby prevent improper trim of the vessel.

It is a further important object of my invention to provide a novel jettisonable ballast device which in addition to the objects stated, is capable of being-employed in the manner of a lever to free the submarine from a mud or sand bank in which the vessel may become stuck or embedded.

These and other objects and advantages of my inven- "ice tion will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation illustrating in general manner a submarine with which my invention may be associated.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section through the lower portion of the submarine hull at the keel area, showing in side elevation the jettisonable ballast assembly and its relation to the hull.

FIG. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of the cable severing mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section through a part of the cable severing mechanism of FIG. 4, and illustrating the chisel thereof in top plan.

Referring to FIG. 1, it) indicates a submarine having a cylindrical hull portion 12 closed at its opposite ends by hemispherical stern and bow members 15 and 16 respectively. The hull is formed or constructed of high-strength aluminum alloy capable of withstanding deep sea pressures and enabling the manned craft to submerge or descend to 15,000 feet or more for scientific exploration and study. Extending aft of hemispherical stern member 15 is a hull extension 14 carrying suitable stabilizing, diving and navigational planes or equipment through which a propulsion screw is extended and supported. The hemispherical bow member 16 may be provided with an entrance hatch 18, and suitable viewing ports certain of which are indicated at 17 and 19.

The submarine Iii further includes a downwardly projecting keel or understructure 24 illustrated in FIG. 3 as being or" W-shaped cross-section to provide a pair of parallel ballast chambers for receiving permanent ballast or ballast members 20, 22, Disposed intermediate said chambers is a downwardly facing exterior cavity or chamber 26 wherein a larger solid and jettisonable emergency ballast member 28 of generally elongated cigar shape and integral construction is housed. Said solid jettisonable ballast membe 28 constitutes an element of the present invention and is designed to be normally carried by the submarine in the housed position illustrated in FIG. 2 by means of supporting cables 30, 32 secured at their lower depending ends to the ballast member 28 in any appropriate fashion as by welding, bolting, etc., each cable extending upwardly through the shell of the keel 24 and through apertures or bores 29 in hull 12 (FIG. 4). The upper extremity of the cable 343 is securely gripped and held within a cable severing mechanism 34, while the cable 3-2 is similarly secured to a like cable severing mechanism 36, FIG. 2. As seen in this figure the cable severing mechanisms 34 and 36 are each secured to the bottom interior of hull 12 beneath flooring 31.

Since the cable severing mechanisms 34, 36 are identical in character, a description of the mechanism 36 as viewed in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5, will suffice for both. Referring to FIG. 4, the cable severing mechanism 36 includes a rigid supporting frame 42 which is secured to the hull 12 by means of bolts 44. Secured to the frame 42 as by means of bolt 45 is a cable housing 46 Which latter is provided with a central bore 47 disposed in align ment with bore 29 to hull i2, and through which cable 32 passes. The upper end of cable 32 is swaged within a fitting 38 having a threaded upper end. A nut 40 is received upon the threaded end of the fitting 38, said nut transmitting the downward pull of cable 32 to a sleeve 48 disposed about the fitting 38 and seated upon the shoulder formed by a first counterbore 49 Accordingly the cable housing 46 and frame 42 carry the load of the ballast 28 transmitted thereto through fitting 38, nut 40 and sleeve 48. A second counterbore 51 is provided in the housing 46 surrounding the sleeve 48. Packing rings 55 and 56 are compressed between thrust rings 52, 54 and 54 within countermore 51 by means of an internally shouldered cap 50 threadedly secured within a third counterbore of the cable housing 46. Packing ring assembly 5156 prevents the leakage into the submarine of sea water passing upwardly through bores 29 and 47.

Hull 12 is provided with a counterbore about cable bore 29 for the reception of a lower reduced diameter portion of cable housing 46. A second counterbore is provided in the hull 12 about the lower end of housing 46 for reception therewithin of a thrust ring 57, packing 58 and follower ring 59. This lower sealing assembly is maintained in leakproof relation to hull 12 and housing 46 by means of a pressure nut 66 threaded onto the cable housing 46 above follower ring 59.

Cable housing 46 is further provided with a lateral bore 61 intersecting cable bore 47 adjacent the fitting 38 at substantially right angles thereto. Slidably received within bore 61 is a chisel 62, the cylindrical shank of which is tapered and flattened at 63 to provide a cutting edge thereon disposed adjacent cable 32. The intermediate portion of the chisel shank is received within a bore of a pressure nut 60a threaded within an enlarged lateral counterbore of cable housing 46, and in addition to providing a guiding support for the chisel 62, pressure nut 60a urges and maintains a sealing assembly in fluid tight relation between the housing 46 and the chisel 62. The sealing assembly adjacent pressure nut 60a is similar to the sealing assembly 57-59 in hull 12.

The lateral extension of cable housing 46 within which pressure nut 60a is threaded is also exteriorly threaded to receive thereon a generally cylindrical hammer housing 64 having its outer end supported by and secured to an upstanding leg of frame 42. Housing 64 is bored or constructed to provide a hammer chamber 65 and a smaller chisel chamber 66, separated by a transverse wall 67 having a non-circular aperture for slidably receiving a chisel head 68 of corresponding configuration integrally formed on chisel 62. A stop collar 69 on chisel 62 limits its rearward movement through apertured wall 67 into hammer chamber 65.

It will be noted that non-circular chisel head 8 serves as a key to prevent rotation of chisel 62 about its longitudinal axis, thereby assuring that the cutting edge thereof is at all times disposed in cutting relation to cable 32.

A hammer 70 is disposed within hammer chamber 65 and is located axially centrally of chamber 65 and guided for reciprocating movement therein by an enlarged disc 71 on the forward end of the hammer and having substantially the same diameter as chamber 65, and an apertured closure cap 73 and through which the hammer 70 extends.

Confined between disc 71 and closure is a strong compression spring 72 constituting the power means for forcibly driving or impelling hammer 70 against the chisel head 68. A sear or detent 75 and a latch 76 are employed to retain hammer 70 in retracted or cocked position to hold spring 72 under compression as illustrated in FIG. 4. Sear '75 is pivotally mounted upon hammer housing 64 and has a downwardly projecting leg thereof extending through an aperture 74 in the hammer housing in restraining engagement with disc 71 of the hammer. With the sear 75 in this position, the latch 76, also pivotally mounted upon housing 64, is swung to vertical position as shown, whereby a laterally extending dog thereof engages and retains sear 75 in its normal horizontal hammer locking position. Latch 76 is connected by a suitable means, susch as a Bowden wire 77, to a control panel within the submarine. While the latches 76 of the cable serving mechanism 34 and 36 may be controlled for simultaneous release, it is preferable to have an independent release control for each latch 76, for reasons appearing hereinafter.

The hammer 70 is provided with a safety device comprising a threaded nut 78 and lock nut 79 adjustable upon the threaded hammer shank portion projecting rearwardly from the housing 64. Said nuts are threadedly adjusted to the position illustrated in FIG. 4 so that adjustable nut 78 will engage cap member 73 on housing 64 to prevent severance of the cable 32 when the cocked hammer is inadvertently triggered. The elongated heavy ballast member 28 is intended to be jettisoned only in the event of emergency conditions while submerged, such as failure of the depth control planes, fire, hull damage or the like, or during testing procedures, to permit the submarine to rise rapidly to the surface. Accordingly as illustrated in FIG. 4 the interlocked safety nuts 78, 79 stop travel of the released hammer before it can strike the chisel. Thus while submarine 10 is traveling on the surface of the water or is in tow by a mother ship, accidental actuation of latch 76 will fail to result in the severance of cable 39 when safety nuts 78, 79 are threaded to their forward safety position on hammer 70. While the submarine is submerged for exploration or other duties, nuts 78, 79 are threaded rearwardly on the hammer shank a distance sufficient to permit full travel of the hammer to forcibly engage the chisel 62 and drive the latter against and sever cable 32 when the hammer is released from the control station. When the vessel reascends to the surface, the nuts 78, 79 may be easily repositioned to said forward or safety position.

To permit adjustment of the safety nuts 78, 79 as well as to permit inspection and/or adjustment of other portions of the cable severing mechanisms 34 and 36, suitable access doors 1341 are provided in the flooring 31 (FIG. 2) adjacent the cable severing mechanisms.

Should the latch 76- accidentally release and impel the hammer for the incomplete restricted stroke, the hammer may be easily restored to latched cocked position by inserting a suitable jack tool between hammer cylinder closure 73 and nut 78 or between transverse cylinder wall 67 and hammer disc '71. The recocking may be performed by a crew member through the access hatch 13a in the submarine floor 31.

Should an emergency ascent become necessary while submerged, panel controls connected to Bowden wires 77 are operated to disengage the latches 76, thereby permitting spring 72 on each cable severing mechanism to release its stored energy, impelling hammer 70 into engagement with chisel 62 to sever the cables, thus permitting the submarine to quickly ascend to the surface. In this connection it is noted that cable bore 47 opposite chisel 62 is flattened as at 80, FIG. 5, to provide an efficient anvil surface against which the cable will be severed.

Although the cable severing mechanisms are simple and highly reliable in character, as an additional safety feature of my invention, the ballast 28 will drop free of the submarine and be jettisoned should only a single cable 3%) or 32 be severed.

While the possibility of one of the cables remaining unsevered is remote, this condition would occur should one of the two control means within the hull on the main control panel be inadvertently overlooked by a crewman, or should some unsuspected failure occur in the cable severing mechanism adjacent the unsevered cable. As the ballast member 28 is supported by two cables, each cable supports substantially one-half the total weight of the ballast. Further, as is apparent from FIG.2, the two cables are secured to the ballast 28 substantially equidistantly on opposite sides of the midpoint of the ballast at locations approximately one-fourth of the ballast length from each end thereof. Accordingly it will be seen that when only a single cable 30 or 32 is severed, the ballast will initially pivot or swing downwardly about the remaining unsevered cable until the adjacent end of the ballast engages the keel 24 to establish a fulcrum thereat, whereupon a multiplied force equal to substantially twice the normal undersea weight of the ballast or four times the weight normally supported by the remaining cable will be applied thereto. The tensile strength of the cables chosen to support the ballast 28 is so proportioned to the weight of the ballast that while either cable will support a weight equal to substantially twice its normal load, i.e. the weight of the ballast, the cables will break under an applied force approximately four times the normal submerged load of the cable, i.e. twice the weight of the ballast. Of course other proportions of tensile strength to ballast weight may be selected as desired, the same being in great part a function of the shape of the ballast 28 and the location thereon of supporting cables 30 and 32. Thus I have provided a ballast arrangement which will drop free and be jettisoned should only a single supporting cable be severed, thereby eliminating the apparent hazards that would result should the ballast remain attached to the submarine by a single cable, dangling down in the water creating undesirable imbalance and improper trim effects with respect to the stability and navigation characteristics. Thus maximum reliability of my jettisonable ballast assembly is assured.

Further, in the event of emergency, should a crewman be unable to operate the panel controls of the severing mechanism within the submarine to actuate the jettisonable ballast controls because of fire or other reasons, access hatches 18a may be removed and the cable severing mechanism 34- and 36 released by hand. Further should chisel 62 fail to sever the cable when struck by hammer 70, a crewman through access hatches 18a may strike the projecting shank of hammer '70 with a suitable implement or maul to effect severance of the associated cable.

It is this described breakaway feature of ballast 28 to automatically snap or break an unsevered cable, that permits the submarine to perform a mud release maneuver should the sumbarine become stuck in an underwater mudbank or sandbar wherein normal control and maneuvering proceedures fail to extricate the submarine therefrom. By way of example, assuming the forward keel portion or bow of the submarine to be stuck in a mud bank, a single panel control within the hull may be actuated to sever the rearmost ballast cable 30. The severing of the single cable 30 imparts both buoyancy and moment to the submarine, causing the stern to initially pivot or swing upwardly to free the vessel from the mudbank in leverlike fashion. As'soon as the boat lifts from the mud a short distance the leverage action on the ballast 28 comes into play as above described to snap the remaining cable 32, thereby jettisoning the ballast.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be clearly apparent from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that various changes may be made in the elements and construction thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A jettisonable ballast assembly for submarines comprising an elongated ballast member secured to the submarine by means of a plurality of cables connected therebetween, cable severing means operably associated with each of said cables, said cable severing means comprising a chisel having a cutting edge disposed in angular relation to said cable and including means for forcibly impelling said chisel against the cable to sever the same, and means for controllng actuation of said cable severing means, whereby operation of said control means effects severance of said cables to jettison said ballast member. A

2. The jettisonable ballast assembly of claim 1 wherein said chisel-impelling means comprises a hammer having spring means associated therewith for driving the hammer forcibly against said chisel upon release of stored spring energy, said control means including a releasable sear for holding said spring means in operative position.

3. The jettisonable ballast assembly of claim 2 wherein means are provided for limiting the extent of travel of the hammer toward said chisel, said last mentioned means being adjustable to prevent forcible engagement of said hammer with said chisel in the event of accidental actuation of said control means.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said ballast member depends from said cables exteriorly of said submarine, said cables each passing through the hull of the submarine to an internal connection adjacent said cable severing mechanism, and packing means cooperating with said internal connection and said severing mechanism to prevent leakage of water into said hull.

5. A jettisonable ballast assembly for submarines comprising an elongated ballast member having a pair of cables secured thereto at spaced localities longitudinally thereof, a pair of cable severing mechanisms carried by the submarine, each of said cable severing mechanisms including a cable housing, a chisel, and means for forcibly impelling said chisel against said cable to sever the same, said cable housing having a first bore for receiving one of said cables, means on said cable housing for securing said one cable thereto, a second bore in said cable housing intersecting said cable bore, said second bore having a chisel slidably mounted therein, said chisel having a cutting edge disposed adjacent said cable within said first bore, and control means for actuating said chisel impelling means.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said chisel impelling means comprises a hammer mounted for movement toward and away from said chisel, and a compressed coil spring engaging said hammer, said control means including a releasable sear to hold said hammer in retracted position away from said chisel to hold said coil spring under compression to store energy therein, and means for releasing said sear.

7. The jettisonable ballast assembly of claim 6 wherein said cable severing means further includes a safety interlock for determining the extent of travel of said hammer toward said chisel, said safety interlock comprising an abutment adjustably secured to said hammer cooperating with a fixed abutment on said cable severing means, said adjustable abutment having a first position on said hammer spaced from said fixed abutment a distance less than that between said hammer and said chisel, and having a second position on said hammer spaced from said first abutment a distance greater than that between said hammer and said chisel.

8. The jettisonable ballast member assembly of claim 1 wherein a pair of said cables is secured to said ballast member on opposite sides of the midpoint thereof, said cables each having a tensile strength sufficient to support a load substantially equal to the weight of said ballast member and insufficient to support a load substantially in excess thereof, each of said cables being secured to the ballast member on opposite sides of the midpoint thereof at points which are located substantially one-fourth the length of the ballast member, from each end thereof, the location of said points being such that upon severance of one cable, said ballast member will swing on the unsevered cable and cause the end of the .ballast member adjacent said unsevered cable to engage against the submarine thus establishing said end as a fulcrum to apply a load substantially in excess of the weight of said ballast member to said unsevered cable to snap the same and jettison the ballast member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 528,559 Peabody Nov. 6, 1894 575,890 Hinsdale Jan. 26, 1897 604,185 Bennum May 17, 1898 650,758 Lake May 29, 1900 1,158,160 Barraja-Frauenfelder Oct. 26, 1915 2,299,311 Dickerson Oct. 20, .1942 

